The two key persons in the Panadura Debate were Migettuwatte Gunananda Thera and Father David de Silva. Gunananda Thera was acclaimed as a debater of a very high order after this debate and his personality deeply affected the resurgence of Buddhism which was to follow. He was described as "the boldest, most brilliant and most powerful champion of Sinhalese Buddhism" and the leader of the Buddhist revival.

It was the success of the Panadura Debate that prompted Colonel Henry Steel Olcott to come to Ceylon. He was impressed with what he read in the newspapers in the United States on the Debate and immediately sent a mass of pamphlets and other literature which were very critical of Christianity. Gunananda Thera had these translated into Sinhalese and distributed them throughout the island.

"Kethumathi" is the 4th largest Hospital in Sri Lanka dedicated for Gynecology and Obstetrics situated at the heart of Panadura city just 10m from Galle-Colombo A2 road.This hospital is a comprehensive one with Neonatal ICU and bed capacity of 300 beds. A grade-1 Base Hospital situated near the Panadura Police station facing A2 road. Apart from this there are wide range of health care facilities run by the Government.